The Ontario government announced this week, that elementary and secondary schools will move to remote learning effective Wednesday, January 5. As a result, starting Monday, January 10, the Province will re-introduce a time-limited targeted Emergency Child Care program for school-aged children to support frontline workers by providing their children with a subsidized, licensed child care space so they can continue to deliver critical services.
The Province has asked municipalities to prioritize access to emergency child care for frontline health care workers providing in-person care. In compliance with the provincial direction and to help facilitate the phased implementation of the program, the following families will be prioritized for immediate placements and emergency child care service may be expanded to other families later.
- An individual who provides in-person care in a high-risk setting and is either:
a. a regulated health professional, or
b. an unregulated health care provider working in health care delivery.
High-risk settings include hospital and congregate living settings, long-term care, retirement homes, First Nation elder care lodges, group homes, shelters, hospices, temporary foreign worker settings, correctional institutions, vaccine / testing settings, and first responders.
- An individual who works directly with children in an emergency child care setting.
Children’s Services is still evaluating system capacity and will continue working with local child care service providers to monitor the capacity of the system to offer temporary emergency child care and may expand the prioritization of the province’s eligibility list.
Prioritized Families looking for Emergency Child Care
Prioritized families looking for emergency child care are encouraged to continue monitoring the Apply for Child Care web page on ottawa.ca. The approved list of child care service providers is expected to be added over the weekend, subject to Provincial approvals. To streamline access to service, prioritized families should directly contact these approved service providers for immediate placement. Service providers will work collaboratively with families to assess eligibility and help assist in the placement process.
Residents can contact 3-1-1 or childrensservices@ottawa.ca for more information.